Milk pipe rack



May 29, 1945. 3, L 7 2,376,955

MILK PIPE RACK I Filed March 13, 1944 INVENTOR. M2915 C1 .BALL

ATTORNEY Patented May 29, 1945 N E ATES PATE T omen aemass NHLK PIPE RACK "Niorris c. Ball, em rgent.- I Application March. 13, 1944,.s r is1 no; 526,296 f2 (o1. g l- 6:0)"

This invention relates. to improvements. in milk pipe. racks.

In dairies and wherever milk is handledv in large. quantitiea-it. is necessary to convey itfrom one apparatus to another throughpipes-whichr: are usuallymade from. some. noncorrosiveani'etal,

brackets are positioned so as to incline the pipes slightly so as to permit them to drain. In some cases the pipes are merely set on the floor and leaned against the wall.

In addition to pipes, there are other parts of machines or apparatus, such as valves, couplings,

etc., that must be cleaned and dried.

It is the object of this invention to produce a simple and substantial milk pipe rack that shall be so constructed that the pipes will hang substantially vertical and which will therefore permit the most rapid and completedrainage.

Another object is toproduce a pipe rackof such construction that it will require a comparatively small floor space and which, in addition,

will have a large capacity.

Another object is to produce a pipe rack that, in addition to supporting the pipes in vertical condition, will be so constructed that it can be readily moved from place to place and which will be stable and not easily tipped over.

The above and other objects that may become apparent as the description proceeds are attained by means of a construction and an arrangement or parts that will now be described in detail, and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the invention has been illustrated, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rack;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 22, Fig

ure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the lower spool end member; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing a portion of the spool flange and the resilient pipe retaining means.

In the drawing referencenumeral" 5: designates the floor on which: the is supported: and 6 the base-which hasbeenshowrnas formed fromv a casting having a hub' lsand. three legs, but which may be iconstructed' -in any other suitable. man- -ner. .Extendingyupwardifmm the. base. isza pipe and: is provided 'with a collar flathatfis secured in any one of several vertically spaced positions by means of a bolt'or pin I0 that extends through any one of a number of vertically spaced openings ll.

Resting on the collar 8 is a spool comprising a pipe I2 of an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of pipe 8. Floor flanges l3 are threadedly connected with the ends of pipe I2 and secured to the floor flange arecircular spool ends I4 whose construction has been shown in greater detail in Figures 2 and 3; In the device as now constructed, ends M are eighteen inches in diameter and are provided in their peripheral edges with twelve notches. Six of these notches have been designated by reference indicated at character a and six by b. All of the notches have awidth of two inches, notches a are five inches in depthand notches btwo and one-half inches in depth. The width and depth are determined by the size of the milk pipes, which have been indicated by dotted lines and designated by ref; erence numeral [5. In most places, these pipes have an outside diameter of one and one-half inches. The ends 14 are so positioned relative to each other that notches a. and b in the upper end are directly above the corresponding notches in the lower. end. Notches a are sufficiently deepto accommodate two pipes as indicated in Figure 4, while notches b will accommodate only one pipe. In order to retain the pipes against accidental outward movement, resilient metal strips I 6 are secured to the adjacent surfaces of the ends by screws I'l. These strips are curved as l8. Any other suitableretainers may be substituted for those illustrated. The retainers are of such strength that they ofier sufiicient resistance to prevent the pipes'from moving out of the notches in the lower spool end in case the rack is tipped from the vertical and this prevents the center of mass from moving towards the side at which the rack is tipped and this assures greater stability than if the pipes were free to pivot about their point of support on the upper spool end. I

The pipes are provided at their ends with 0011- plings I9 that have a diameter greater than two inches and which, therefore, serve to support them in the manner shown in Figure 1. In case the rack should he accidentally tipped to one side, the pipes will be retained in normal relation with respect to the axis. The spring retainers therefore serve a twofold purposes; (1) to prevent the pipes from being accidentally disconnected; and

(2) to prevent the shifting of the center of mass if the rack is accidentally moved from its normally vertical position.

. V The rack can be constructed of any desirable size and of any suitable material. Ends II may be made from wood fiber, metal or plastic.

Having describedthe invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a milk pipe rack having a base, an elongated cylindrical pivot secured atv its lower end to the base and projecting verticallytherefrom,

means for supporting milk pipes comprising a spool having a hub and end flanges, the hubhavinglan opening, extending its entire length, for the reception of the pivot,;cooperating means on the pivot and on'the spool for rotatably supporting the spool, the end flanges of the spool having an even number of radially, spaced notches extending inwardly from their peripheries, alternate notches being of greater depth than the otheracorresponding deep and shallow notches being positioned in the same radial planes, the

width of the space between adjacent notch walls 'g'ated cylindrical pivot secured at its lower end being substantially equal, and spring detents having'bases positioned against and secured to those portions of the flanges between the notches, the ends of the spring detents being positioned in adjacent notches, the ends projecting into the A notches being concave on the side facing the wall surfaces of the notches, the curved ends being flexible.

2. In a milk pipe rack having a base, an elonto the base and projecting vertically therefrom,

means for supporting milk pipes comprising a spool having a hub. and end flanges, the hub having an opening, extending its entire length,

for the reception of the pivot, cooperating means on the pivot and'on the spool for rotatably supporting-the spool, the end flanges of the spool NORRIS o. BALL.- 

